Friday, May 19, 2006

THE FARMER'S MARKET - PART I

To Start off this series of farmer's market reports and pictures that Melissa of COOKING DIVA and Elena of EL AMOR POR LA CUCINA have organized, I thought that I would introduce you to one of my favorite stalls on the market where I'm used to buy my stock of goodies...

Every Wednesday and Saturday, on the Boulevard Helvétique in the center of the town of Geneva, there is a very interesting market where one can find many different things: fish, meat, bread, cheese, flowers, vegetables, fruits, Italian specialities, olives, spices, soaps, honey, wine, etc... This open market is situated just next to another market named "La Halle De Rive" which is covered and open six days a week. This market also offers a wide range of goods as it has more than twenty stalls dealing with various fresh products: fish, meat, cheese, bread, delicatessen products, Italian, Asian and Oriental specialities, etc...

On the Boulevard Helvétique market, there is a stall I particularly cherish since I love spices, herbs, olives and Provencial types of products. It is held by a friendly Swiss-Chillean couple known under the name Stauffer-Villanueva. Both husband and wife go to sell their products separately on three different markets in Geneva and in Vaud (I think). So, on this particular market in Rive, it is the husband and his kind assistant who will serve you...

They sell various natural products like olives, oils, homemade preparations (anchoïade, tapenade, satanica paste,etc...), dry fruits, spices, honey, soaps, essential oils and natural incense sticks (Japanese). So, you can quite imagine how thrilled I am every time I go there as, knowing myself, I could just take the whole stall back home!!!

A selection of olives I buy for my Saturday and Sunday aperitives.They have such a immense choice of flavors and mixes that I never know what to take. My favorite ones are garlic green olives, caper green olives, fennel green olives, salad mix green olives (with dried tomatoes, fava beans and capers), giant green olives with almonds... They also sell fava beans prepared in the same way as olives, sundried tomatoes in oil and capers. Needless to say that the beautiful smell given off by those products is wonderful!!!

You can also find many different seeds, dried herbs and dried plants (for herbal teas) such as thyme, sunflower seeds, licorice, curry leaves, rosemary, dried chillies, lavender and many more...

Aaaaahhh, and now that's one of my preferred corners: the spice display! They can just make me daydream for hours... I have already bought quite a few of them and plan to buy many more in the future as my dream is to possess most existant spices on the planet (I know, it's maybe a bit exhaustive!...). Here's what you will find: turmeric, diverse peppers, garam massala, café de Paris mix, allspice, cumin, corriander, Cajun mix, wasabi powder, mace, ajwain, star anise, Ras El Hanout, paprika, five spice mix, etc... All their spices are of good quality and originate from many different countries (Egypt, India, France, Turkey, etc...).

The range of dry fruits and nuts is also remarkable: figs, raisins, papaya, mango, pistacchio, candied pecan nuts, dates, bananas, apricots, walnuts, apples, coconuts, brasil nuts, etc... Everything is very fresh and fabulous quality-wise.Here you can see their array of natural Marseille soaps (handmade) and essential oils. This side releases great scents and beautiful fragrances making you want to take care of yourself, be "zen" and relax...

If you are also looking for honey (various fragrances), oils (olive, walnut, hazelnut, pistacchio, sesame, lemon-scented olive oil, etc...), soy sauce, syrups and biological products, you are in the right place.

For those who live in Geneva or close to a market where this stall might happen to be, then I can only say one thing: don't waste your time with overpriced cheap products found in supermarkets and pay them a visit, you'll be totally bewitched by it!